Hurt
by Chosen One of ShadeSlayers
Summary: Ash and Dawn were once great friends. But when the day came, they went their seperate ways. Dawn now regrets her descision but she must now pay the price. Rejection, as she did to the one who loved her. But now, rejection will come from the person she loves. Rated T Oneshot


The sun was shining brightly in the blue clear skies, making the weather warm and enjoyable. White cotton-like clouds floated gracefully in the sky, taking away the sun's light every few minutes. A small light breeze passed by every so often slightly cooling the air. The day was nothing less than amazing.

Two teens were walking throughout a park, just talking, laughing, and enjoying each other's company, after having a nice nap, and taking advantage of the nice weather. One was a boy; He had big pretty brown eyes, black messey hair, and a amazing smile to complete his handsome feautures. He went by the name of Ash and his companion Pikachu was riding along, on his shoulder. The other person he was walking with was his best friend. She had long, pretty, blue hair that moved swiftly with each movement she made, blue diamond like eyes that sparkled like a star in the night sky, and one amazing smile that always brightened Ash's day. Her name was Dawn along with her first pokemon Piplup.

They had been best friends for a few years. And now, Ash wanted to take that friendship to a whole new level. He couldn't help but be attracted to his best friend. She was beautiful and perfect. And today was the day that he would tell her how he felt about her. He stayed up all night practing how he would tell her and he even went to Brock for advice. He was scared and nervous because he wasn't sure on how she would act or if she would feel the same way.

No one had a stronger bond than those two. There was no breaking them apart. Their bond was so intense that friendship was just seeming insufficient. Well, at least on Ash's part. For the boy had developed feelings for his beautiful friend but he was just too shy to say anything...until now.

"Dawn, can I talk to you for a moment?" He asked her. Dawn nodded her head. They found a park bench and sat down on it. Ash's heart beat started to speed up.

"So, what did you wanna talk about?" She asked. She looked over to Ash, smiling warmly which just escalated his confidence.

Ash inhaled and exhaled before he spoke. "Well, you know we've been friends for a long time." Dawn nodded her head, still smiling and oblivious to where he was going with this. He needed to get this over and done with so he continued. "You know, us being in a place like this just makes me think about how long we've been friends and everything we went through. All our travels and good and bad times we had with eachother." A smiled graced his lips as he went back to the distant memories. "All the fussing we used to do when we first met."

Dawn couldn't help but giggle at the mention of the squabbles they used to have a while back. So much has indeed changed for them. They became better people, learning from eachother. "I feel the same way, Ash." Dawn said, her voice softening. "Being in a place this calm, with eachother, no disturbances, just helps me realize what a great friend you are. You've always been there cheering me on for me when I was upset and you were always cheering your heart out at my contest." A small bridge of crimson ran across her face. She looked down so Ash couldn't see the clear blush on her face. "I always heard you in the big crowd of people; your voice stood out the most. Over all the shouts and screaming...I always heard you." She smiled and lifted her head back up.

"Ash, we've been through, just, so much. I never thought we'd have so many wild adventures like we did. We, even, almost lost our lives a couple of times." Dawn stopped talking and giggled while Ash smiled and rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. The bluenette stopped her giggling and conituned. "But there's no one else that I'd want to experience those types of adventures with. So Ash, thank you for everything. You've been a friend that I could only dream of."

Ash smiled, taking in all her words to heart. "You know I'll always be there for you, Dawn. No matter what." He smiled again and decided that now was the his time to speak up. What she just said to him made all his fears of telling her go away. "But something else has been on my mind for a while." Dawn looked at him with concern in her eyes. Usualy when her told her something's been on his mind it wasn't good. "Well, not really in my mind...but in my heart. I've never had these kind of feelings before. Well, I have once but they weren't as strong as this...but anyways that doesn't matter-" Dawn grinned slyly before cutting him off.

"Awe~ does Ash have a crush on Misty?" Dawn couldn't help but ask that question because she noticed how Misty used to be all over him whenever she came around. Though, now that she thought about it, she never seen Ash give into it...but she never seen him push her away either.

Ash's eyes widened and he immdietly started to shake his head. "No, Dawn, I mean I do like her a little bit but, we're just friends and that's it. There's someone else that I like so much more and that I'd rather be with..." Ash trailed off his sentence and directed his gaze elsewhere. Right before Dawn could say something Ash began to speak again. "Dawn, the way I care about you and how much you mean to me is greater than I've ever felt about anyone else. And I mean on a..." Ash turned his head away from his gaze. He just couldn't look her directly in the eyes right now. "On a new level."

Dawn's compassionate smile faded, slowly, off her face as she gazed an unreadable expression. Ash wondered if she knew where he was coming from with this. He gathered up his courage and continued. "Dawn, I have feelings for you...strong feelings. I've developed these feelings over time and I thought that now was the right moment to tell you that..." Ash paused and forced himself to look directly in a her ocean blue eyes. "I love you!" Ash blurted out. This wasn't really how he imagine he would say it, but that didn't matter to him right now. All that mattered, now, was Dawn's response.

Ash studied her face expression more. He noticed that she had a more schocked expression than he had ever seen on her face before. She wasn't expecting it, Ash guessed. Or maybe she always thought that he didn't feel that way about her. Maybe even that he never felt the way about her. This thought made Ash happy; his hopes getting higher.

"Ash," Dawn said just above a whisper, startling Ash. It sounded like she was...sad. "Ash, t-this really is sweet for me. Especially since it's coming from you. I never thought that you loved me in that way...I never even suspected it. But..." She trailed off her sentence, looking deep into his brown orbs, and bit her lip. Ash's mind started to fill up with wonder and anxiousness at what her next few words would be. "I just don't feel the same way, Ash. I wish I could say I did, I really do, but it would just be a lie if I said so." Every word she spoke seemed like an extra crack onto the surface of Ash's heart until it just broke apart, with all the peices falling all over the place. And she seemed to know it because the tears started to well up in her eyes. "I'm sorry, Ash." She sounded like she really meant it.

He put his head down. Ash didn't know what to say at this point. His mouth was firmly shut, his eyes were filled with confuion and hurt.

She didn't love him back.

This wasn't how he wanted this to happen. He envisoned her saying that she did love him back and feel the same way, she jumping into his arms, and they kiss passiontaetly...but it was only a dream to Ash. Not even close to reality.

"Ash," Dawn spoke, making him flinch a little. He looked up into her tear-stained face. The tears were falling from her eyes, down to her cheeks. "I-I didn't mean to hurt you Ash. I hate to see you hurt...especially since it's my fault. Ash...I love you but not in that way. I'm sorry."

All the hurt and sadness plaguing both Ash and Dawn, but more so Ash, was visible. Both of them staring into eachother's eyes with the usual happiness and enjoyment was replaced with pain and sadness. Tears were streaming down his cheeks, but his expression was emotionless. Only his eyes showed how he felt.

"I'm sorry, Ash. I have to go." Dawn rose up from the bench, wiping her eyes. She turned away from Ash and quietly walking away with guilt, hurt, and sadness filled in her heart.

Ash didn't move as she walked away, he didn't even look at her. And he didn't make an attempt to stop her. He couldn't. He sat there on the bench, staring into nothing, letting his tears fall down his face...

Their happy day was ruined in ten mintues. And it was all her fault...

* * *

_Time skip ( 1 year)_

* * *

It had been one year since that horrible day when Dawn rejected Ash. Ash was now dating Misty Waterflower, Water Pokemon Gym leader in Cerulean City.

* * *

Dawn:

Dawn was silenced as she thought her thoughts. She had loved Ash since she had met him, why did she ever turn him down? It hurt her as she watched her used to be best friend kiss her secret love. Then she thought of her mistakes, when she just walked away from her future relationship, she had watched the happiness and joy in Ash's eyes form into sadness, pain, heartbreak and rejection. He was hurt so badly and it was all her fault. It was her fault she was being so _damned stupid!_.  
Dawn's hopeful, happy side asked herself,"Maybe it's not too late."  
Her other side, the hopeless, sad side responded harshly."No! It is too late. He's moved on... with... Mi..sty."  
It had been like a needle being thrust into her heart as she said this. As much as it pained her to admit it, the hopeless side of her mind was right. He had moved on with Misty. It pained her to make that sentence escape her mouth. It pained her when she saw those two together. They got together a month after school started. Misty also went to that school, along with a lot of their friends. He looked so happy with her. He was constantly smiling when they were together. They looked as if they were in love. Dawn wondered if Ash does in fact love Misty...and if he does...then is it more than he loved her? Or was it just so that he could make Dawn jealous? Or was it just to get over Dawn? However, she doubted that because Ash wasn't anywhere near that type of person. Dawn couldn't help but feel envious of the red head that Ash called his girlfriend. She wished, so bad, that she was Ash's girlfriend instead.  
"That could be me in Misty's place..." Dawn shut her eyes so the tears couldn't escape. "But, it's too late. We're nothing more or nothing less than friends." Dawn forced a small smile on her face, even though behind that smile there was hurt and discomfort. She just wished she could have Ash for herself. She wished that she could be the one in his arms...instead of Misty. She grinned as the happy side flared up again as she thought of a plan, 90% it won't work and ruin their fragile friendship, or work. But she was willing to take the chance.

Dawn walked up to Ash and his friends with a bug in her hand. That certainatly did the trick as Misty ran off. His friends ran after her, telling her that it was just a harmless little bug. Ash stared at the ground confused.  
"What do you want?" Ash growled softly.  
"Just wanted a few minutes of your time."  
"Make it quick." He replied coldly.  
She flinched at his cold tone but steeled her nerves and said really fast that he didn't understand what she was saying ,"Ijustwantedtotellyouthatistillloveyouevenifyoudon'tforgivemeforrejectingyou."  
"Uhm, i'm sorry, what?"  
"I said, I just wanted to tell you that i still love you even if you don't forgive me for rejecting you." She said a bit slower this time.  
"So what?"  
"I want to become your girlfriend instead of Misty."  
Ash was truly shocked. Here Dawn was, begging to be his girlfriend and a year ago, she rejected him. Imagine how you would feel! Ash couldn't believe what he was hearing. Dawn saw his thoughtful face and she felt hope spark inside her, before he said coldly,"NO!"  
Dawn croaked out sadly,"Please, consider it."  
"I've made up my mind. Now go away."  
Misty emerged from behind me and rushed towards Ash. Ash leaned in for a passionate kiss and Misty returned it just as much.  
Dawn couldn't explain how hurt she was feeling. It was like a million daggers stuck deep inside her heart and groaning with anguish, she writhed about as she clutched her body, trying to keep her emotions concealed deep within. Her eyes were watery with the sheer pain and her breathing came out in sharp, shallow rasps. Sweat dripped down the side of her face and covered her foreheard in a thin sheen.  
"Please." Her desperate tone made her words almost inaudible, but they still echoed around the eerie, empty hall.  
Dawn was **hurt**  
Dawn was really **hurt.  
**Dawn, she felt like her heart was ripped out, stabbed with infinity daggers but could still feel the pain from apart, put back in and would shatter into a million pieces as she witnessed heartbreak for the first time.

_I knew i loved you, i was too ashamed to admit it. I wish you still loved me like you did a year ago. But i know that will never be._**  
My hope has vanished and i won't have it back, but know that my love for you would never, even a blind man could see.**


End file.
